


Ornaments and Potlucks

by GreyTabbyCat



Category: Forever (TV)
Genre: Christmas, F/M, Forever Holiday Exchange 2015-2016, Gen, Henry sprouting off trivia facts, potluck dinner, tree decorating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-31
Updated: 2015-12-31
Packaged: 2018-05-10 01:50:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5564377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreyTabbyCat/pseuds/GreyTabbyCat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Henry and Jo decorate their Christmas tree and have a potluck dinner the next night with the rest of the gang and Abe of course.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Ornaments

**Author's Note:**

  * For [superlc529](https://archiveofourown.org/users/superlc529/gifts).



> I hope you enjoy your gift. :)
> 
> I really liked your request, but I couldn't figure out how to include all the characters you wanted in this first chapter and didn't want to leave it out either, so there'll be a chapter 2 too. Hope you don't mind! 
> 
> Happy New Year 2016 to you! I hope it will be amazing! :D 
> 
> \---
> 
> Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Henry and Jo decorate their Christmas tree.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a little piece of fluff. ^^

“No! I said no, Dad!” Abe yelled from the kitchen when he spotted Henry sitting down on the couch with the bowl of apples.

“Here we go again…” Jo sighed from her perch at the foot of the big tree in the corner.

“But Abraham, it’s tradition,” Henry tried the same approach as the last time again.

“Yes, I know.” At Henry’s hopeful look he added, “Still no.”

“But Abraham…”

“Dad, we’ve talked about this at length. Since I bought the tree this year, there will be no apples on it. We have enough baubles to cover the whole thing top to bottom without any green showing through and I can bake a really tasty pie with these apples,” Abe tried to reason, but Henry still didn’t seem convinced at all. So Jo sauntered over and sat down on the couch next to Henry, taking one of his hands in hers. 

“You know, you’ll never win this argument with Abe. You taught him too well,” she teased him with a smile. “And you know, I’d prefer Abe’s pie over your tree decorations any time.” There was a mischievous twinkle in her eye and Henry looked mock-offended back at her. 

“So you’re siding with Abraham then? I knew you were only here for the food!” Henry sighed dramatically, putting a hand over his heart, “I’m hurt, dear!”

“Yeah, ok, you found me out after all. Took you long enough!” Jo shook her head at him, playing along. 

“Alright, I give up! I know when I’m outnumbered.” Henry raised his hands in surrender. “Here, take your apples, Abraham. But this better be the best pie yet.” He gave his son a mock-stern look to accompany his words. 

“Yeah dad, whatever. You can tell me after dinner tomorrow,” Abe said and took the bowl back into the kitchen with him.

Henry and Jo could hear him rummaging through the cupboards for a bit before he appeared back in the living-room again shopping list in hand and informed them that he’d be going out to get the last things for their early Christmas dinner the next day. With that he headed out and left the partners to further decorate the tree. 

“You know, just because Abe banned your usual apple decorations, he didn’t say anything about popcorn and cranberry strings,” Jo said slyly, grinning at Henry sweetly. 

Henry perked up at that. “How wicked of you! That’s one of the reasons I like you so much, my dear Detective.” Henry leaned over and pecked her on the cheek. 

“Ok, come on! Let’s get to work before Abe comes back,” she winked at Henry, standing up and pulling Henry towards the kitchen behind her. 

***

When they had collected all necessary items, they got comfy on the couch again and in a comfortable silence began threading the popcorn and cranberries on long pieces of string. 

“You know, this is nice,” Jo broke the silence after a while, looking up from her work. Henry raised an eyebrow inquisitively, but otherwise stayed silent. “This, here, with you and Abe, is nice. It feels cosy, and homey, and warm. Growing up we were lucky to have a proper tree. We were not unhappy, mind you, but Christmas was always a difficult time for my parents. 

Then, with Sean,” a sad hue flitted across her face for a second, “it was always a hectic time what with both our jobs taking so much time. Usually, it didn’t even feel much different than any other day of the year. We only used to have a hastily decorated small tree if that, and decorations only meant a string of lights and some tinsel.” 

She let out a laugh, shaking her head. “Not very Christmas-sy I know, but we figured it was good enough for the little time we spend at home anyway. But one evening when we both had time off, sometimes it would nearly be New Year’s Eve already, we’d sit down to exchange gifts over take out and TV.” Jo smiled fondly at the memory.

“That evening was always one I loved a lot, don’t get me wrong, but this, here, feels so very different and nice on a whole other level again.” 

“I’m very glad you still feel this way now, after having been part of our usual Advent madness.” 

They looked at each other deeply grateful, conveying so much emotion, both having found in one another what they hadn’t even known they’d been looking for in the first place. After a moment they went back to the task at hand though, not knowing how much time they still had before Abe would be back. 

When their strings had reached a sufficient length and Abe had still not returned, they seized the opportunity to sling them decoratively around the tree. Better to have the deed done already when he came home than asking for permission. He wouldn’t make them take them down again even if he wouldn’t fully approve and scowl a little. 

“You sneaky bastards!” Henry and Jo jumped at the voice from behind. They turned very slowly, having the good grace to look slightly embarrassed at having been caught red-handed. They had been so engrossed in their task that they hadn’t even heard Abe coming up the stairs, arms laden with shopping bags. 

“Well, you see…” Henry stuttered.

“I know this was your doing Jo,” Abe said without preamble. “Henry would’ve only moped around, but you are too sneaky. I should have known!” Abe shook his head, but had to smile nonetheless. He had to admit he was happy about Jo being part of their little family now. She definitely brought a fresh breeze with her. 

“You two keep decorating the tree. But I don’t want to see any more food on it!” With that Abe took his load into the kitchen where Henry and Jo could hear him grousing “One might think we wouldn’t have enough ornaments to put on the tree.” and were sure he was rolling his eyes at them. 

Jo burst out laughing at the hilarity and Henry soon followed chuckling along. When they had calmed down enough again to speak Jo said “Better do as he says now. Next time I’m sure we won’t get off the hook so easily.” 

“Rather not, you’re right,” Henry agreed and with that they began to tackle the boxes piling up at the foot of the tree. 

***

Every box was opened and sifted through carefully as they took stock of what things were available. They hadn’t made a plan in advance. Decorating the tree this year would be a spontaneous act. 

Henry pensively looked into a box full of baubles. “Did you know that the first glass baubles were made in Thuringia, Germany?” Jo had learned by now that any conversation starting in this or a similar fashion didn’t require an answer. Henry would go on talking anyway. He was like a walking encyclopaedia and most times she loved hearing his random snippets. She refrained from telling him that though or she’d come to regret it for sure. But she suspected Henry knew anyway. 

“Well legend has it that some poor glassblowers couldn’t afford the traditional apples and walnuts for their trees, but what they had or could acquire was glass. So they formed what were supposed to be glass apples that could be re-used every year, baring any accidents. That’s only a legend though, but the first glass baubles really were produced in Thuringia and then exported before more glass-blowing-companies joined in the production.”

“Wow, I never knew that. Interesting!” 

Then they went back to looking through boxes in silence.

***

“Uh, Henry? Why do you own something like this?” Jo asked after a while, a frown on her face as she stood up from being hunched over one of the boxes a pink, glittery bauble in hand. 

Henry came over to stand next to her taking the bauble from her hand and looking at it closely. “Well, Abraham brought those home one day from a house clearance he attended.”

“Doesn’t look very antique to me.” 

“It isn’t. He did buy some antiques though and the relatives obviously wanted to get rid of these, so they gave them away for free,” Henry explained and examined the bauble a little more turning it from one side to the other and watching the light catch on the glitter. “And that’s not even all to them. Let me show you.” He fumbled for a second with something at the top. “Ahah!” And the room was filled with strobe-like, seizure-inducing blinking. 

“Well, that’s very … uh. They are … uh” 

“I wholeheartedly agree! Atrocious!” He shuddered and turned off the light again. “I might be too old for this, but I can’t understand why anyone would want to put something like this on their tree.” 

“Oh, don’t worry, I can assure you I don’t understand that either.” Jo patted Henry on the shoulder sympathetically before taking the bauble from his hand and putting it back in the box. Then she put the whole box far out of reach. 

“Now that that’s done with let’s find something to actually put on the tree, yeah?” 

***

They had unconsciously decided to go the traditional route and hung baubles in reds and greens and golds. 

Jo had vehemently chastised Henry when he tried to put some silver baubles in between the other ones. “You can’t put silver **and** gold! That doesn’t mix, Henry!” 

“I apologize for my faux-pas,” He mock-bowed at her and mumbled something very quietly that she wasn’t sure she’d understood correctly, but guessed to mean “for the last 100 odd years.” 

“What would you do without me?” Jo asked casually. 

“I don’t know.” It was said lightly enough, but his eyes told her the real, deeper meaning behind his words. She in turn tried to convey that she had indeed understood and felt the same way with a nod and a small smile. 

***

Then while Henry had stuck the lights – artificial this year, Jo had been very insistent – on the branches, Jo had opened a small box with some glass ornaments inside. 

Henry had just fastened the last candle when she had taken the first ornament, a gingerbread man, out of the box. “About these…” he started.

“I know,” she said softly and at his confused look she added, “Abe told me.” 

“And you still…?”

“Of course! Abigail has been such a huge part of both your lives that it only feels right to put her ornaments on the tree too. Unless you don’t want me to that is?”

“No, I…” He swallowed thickly. “It’s just been such a long time since I last saw them on the tree. I didn’t even realise Abe had put the box with the others.” 

“So let’s hang them on the tree again, alright?” Henry could only nod, overcome by emotions of the past and the present. 

When she turned around to grab another ornament, Henry was suddenly standing next to her. Without a word he drew her into a bone-crushing hug. “I love you.” 

Jo hadn’t had time to react, so she stood quite awkwardly, arms squished at her sides. She used the little leeway she had left to clumsily pat the part of his back she could reach. “I love you too.” 

***

“Nearly forgot these!” Henry exclaimed after they had both recovered from their emotional moment. He held another small box in his hands.

“What’s in there?” 

He opened the box to reveal a colourful assortment of paper trees and pine cone Santas and snowmen. “Abraham made these back in elementary school.” Henry explained, reverently stroking the purple tree in his hands. “We’ve had them on our tree ever since. Abraham grumbles about it every year, but he secretly likes seeing them displayed.” 

***

When the tree was finally done to both their likings the pair stood in front of it side by side admiring their handiwork. Henry reached out and put his arm around Jo’s waist drawing her into his side. 

“Do you like our tree?” Henry asked before pressing a kiss to her temple. 

“I love it. I think it’s perfect.” She especially liked the word ‘our’ in that question. She snaked her arm around Henry’s back and rested her head on his shoulder. 

“Not quite yet.” Jo looked up at that, furrowing her brow. Henry untangled himself from her and left the room. 

He came back a minute later with a small brown paper bag in his hand. “This is what’s missing.” He stood in front of her and handed the bag over to Jo. “Open it.” 

“You saying Santa brought me a present a week early?” 

“Maybe,” he said with a cheeky grin. 

Jo slowly opened the bag and peered into it. She spotted the object lying inside and a smile broke out on her face. She looked up at Henry. “Really?”

“You liked it so much. So I went back to the Christmas market again a day after our visit and got it for you,” Henry said, looking at her fondly. 

Jo reached into the bag to reveal a small wooden snowman that had a blue piece of fabric wrapped around its neck. When she had spotted it at the small booth, she had laughed and told Henry how it looked just like him. Henry had only grumbled, but secretly loved seeing her so carefree. So he had returned to the booth a day later and bought the ornament for her as a reminder of that day spent lazily strolling through Central Park hand in hand, visiting a small Christmas market, and later enjoying a quiet evening snuggling on his couch. 

Jo hung the snowman on the tree, then went back over to Henry and hugged him tight. “Thank you,” she breathed before pressing a kiss to his lips. Henry soon deepened the kiss, his hands roaming across her back while hers found their way into his hair. 

“Get a room you two!” Henry and Jo pulled apart at once smiling sheepishly at each other. Of course Abe chose exactly that moment to enter the living-room. “I’ve just come over to tell you that dinner is ready. But maybe you want to skip directly to dessert?” He raised one eyebrow at them. 

Abe turned back towards the kitchen, leaving the pair to collect themselves. “The tree turned out nice by the way,” he threw over his shoulder. “And you know Pops, that snowman looks just like you!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize to everyone who likes pink, glittery, blinking Christmas tree ornaments. I was only imagining what kind of bauble Henry would find most atrocious. I definitely don't want to offend anyone!
> 
> \---
> 
> The glass bauble being a German invention is actually true. And the legend Henry talks about actually exists too.


	2. Potlucks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The rest of the gang comes over for an early Christmas dinner to Henry and Abe's apartment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And this is the part with the rest of the gang. Curiously, Hanson’s children play a bigger part in this than I had anticipated beforehand. Oh well... ;)

“What time did you say your colleagues would get here again?” Abe asked for what felt like – and probably was – the 100th time. 

“At 5:30 pm, Abraham. We have enough time to get everything done. It’s barely noon.” 

It was the last Saturday before Christmas. The team had decided to have an early Christmas dinner because everyone would be busy over the actual holidays. And to make things easier on everyone they had also decided to make it a potluck dinner. 

Henry had volunteered his home because he and Abe had an apartment big enough to accommodate everyone. 

Henry and Jo were busy preparing the living-room. They needed seating space and a table big enough for 9 people after all. And Abe was cleaning the kitchen. It had been practically spotless already, but when Henry had tried to tell him exactly that earlier he didn’t want to listen and scrubbed viciously at invisible stains anyway. 

Abe had been flitting around the apartment since he had gotten up before the sun this morning and it was slowly getting to Henry and Jo. They tried to move out of his way as much as possible and let him be. 

***

When Abe finally declared the kitchen to be clean, Jo broke the news to him that she’d still have to prepare the stuffing for tonight’s dinner and that he himself still had to make dessert. 

His face fell for a moment before Jo promised she would do the cleaning after cooking and he looked happy again in an instant. 

***

Over the course of the day they had prepared the seating arrangements, the stuffing, dessert only needed to be baked, and removed everything that could jeopardize Henry’s secret in any way. 

By 5 o’clock everything was done and they had a few minutes left to themselves to relax and enjoy the quiet before their guests would arrive. 

***

The first to arrive was a slightly flustered-looking Lucas holding a bag with assorted plastic containers. 

“Hi Dr. Morgan, Detective Martinez. Thank you for the invitation. I hope the veggies turned out fine. I called my mom, had her guide me through cooking them over the phone. I never cooked anything like this before. Usually, I don’t cook much to be honest. I just…”

“Lucas, I’m sure they will be fine.” Jo interrupted his ramblings. She took the bag from his hands and went to find Abe in the kitchen. These vegetables surely needed to be re-heated a little after having been carried through half the city. 

“What would you like to drink Lucas?” Henry inquired. 

“Oh, I’m good for now.”

Just then the door beckoned for Henry again. Lieutenant Reece was standing on the other side waiting a little impatiently for Henry to open the door. 

“Hello Lieutenant. It’s good to see you.” 

“Yes, Dr. Morgan, good to see you too. Would you mind showing me the way to your kitchen? Then I can re-heat the gravy,” she motioned to a small-ish pot, “and the mashed and sweet potato casserole only needs to be put into the oven for the finishing touches.” 

“That sounds delicious, Lieutenant. The kitchen is upstairs. If you’d follow me.” 

“It is very tasty indeed, if I do say so myself. It’s a family recipe,” she smiled. “Oh, and you might want to wait here. While standing here, I saw Hanson look for an empty parking spot just down the street. They’ll be here in no time I’m sure.” 

“Alright, I’ll wait.” 

“I’ll certainly find the way to the kitchen on my own.” And with that she headed upstairs. Henry had to admit that despite his 200 odd years, she had the tendency to make him feel like a little schoolboy sometimes. No wonder she was the Lieutenant. 

Henry didn’t have time to ponder this any further though. Just like Reece had said, he could hear children screaming on the sidewalk in no time and see Hanson and his wife hurrying after them. Then the children raced past the open shop door. Before Henry could do or say anything he heard Hanson holler after them. 

While the boys turned around, but then halted abruptly to fight about something for a bit before racing back towards them, Hanson and Karen stopped in front of Henry. 

“Hey Doc!” Hanson greeted him, his arms full of presumably the roast. They, more specifically Karen, had insisted on bringing the goose as they’d bring the most eaters. 

“Good evening,” Henry welcomed them, shaking hands with Karen. 

The boys zoomed past Henry and their parents and Hanson was busy shouting after them again. He nearly dropped the roast trying to snatch them up at the collars. 

“It might be best to unload that in the kitchen. Shall I?” Henry offered to take the bulky object from Hanson’s arms, but he refused.

“Just point me in the right direction and I’ll get it there,” Hanson waved him aside. 

“It’s upstairs. If you would follow me.”

“Kids come on, upstairs!” Karen shouted at her boys who were just fighting again between the antiques. 

“NOOOO!” they screamed back in unison and Karen sighed. 

“Come on, or Santa won’t bring you anything this year!” That seemed to get their attention – for the moment at least – and they followed the adults to the apartment. 

***

Abe’s freshly cleaned kitchen soon looked like a battlefield again. Pots and pans were scattered everywhere with the odd container and utensil thrown in. 

Lucas’ veggies were currently re-heating on the stove under Abe’s vigilant gaze, while the Lieutenant had just put the casserole in the oven for the finishing minutes and was now setting her pot with the gravy on the last empty stove-space. 

Only the Hansons roast goose was snugly and warm under a couple of layers of tin foil and a fluffy towel. They had even used a heating pad to preserve the warmth. 

Too many people were moving around the kitchen and every step anyone took looked more like a choreographed dance than cooking. Finally, Abe shooed everyone out into the living-room where Henry was just lecturing Lucas and Hanson about good wine while the kids had snuck back downstairs silently, but screaming and running could be heard again now.

Of course Henry had insisted to contribute a handful of bottles to the evening besides his home and a traditional English Christmas pudding. 

“Lecturing about wine again I see,” Jo said after having heard only half a sentence of Henry’s monologue. She moved to stand beside him taking one of his hands in hers. 

Their partnership developing beyond friendship was no secret at the precinct and had come as nobody’s surprise. Basically everyone had known before them anyway. 

“Well,…” was the only answer she got before Henry clammed up. Jo had managed in ten seconds what Lucas and Hanson had tried to do for the last 20 minutes. They were certain she had her secret methods to achieve this, and yes she definitely did. 

***

“Alright everyone, dinner’s ready!” Abe declared carrying the bowl of stuffing to the makeshift dinner table. 

This phrase provoked a flurry of movement again at once as everyone scrambled to help or as in Hanson’s case went and tried to persuade their kids to quit whatever it was they were doing and come upstairs. 

The whole way down the stairs he hoped with all his might that he’d find the shop – mostly – still in one piece. 

***

Finally, food and drink had found their place on the table at last and everyone had found a seat ready to start. And yet instead of tucking in all eyes were resting on Henry expectantly. 

When Henry realised that he looked a little puzzled for a moment before clearing his throat. “Well, thank you to all of you for coming here tonight and for making this a potluck dinner.” There was a chorus of ‘the least we could do’ and ‘no problem’. “I hope you’ll all have an enjoyable evening. And now let’s start with dinner before Abraham murders me if it’s my fault that the food goes cold again.” He chuckled a little, but Abe gave him a look that let Henry know that this would be the exact end to their evening if he kept talking much longer. 

When everyone was just reaching for their cutlery, Lieutenant Reece cleared her throat. “Please, I would like to say something too. It will only take a moment and I’m sure it won’t lead to cold food.” She gave Abraham a look and he didn’t dare contradict her – not her.

“I just want to say that this was a very good year for us. We closed amazingly many cases and even though we had a few close calls we are all still here today to enjoy this feast. Thank you! And thank you to Dr. Morgan and Abraham for generously inviting us into their home! I wish you all very merry holidays! And let’s make the New Year as good as or better than this one!” 

She raised her glass in a toast and everyone followed suit. “To a nice evening, good food, and wonderful company!” 

“Hear, hear!” 

Then everyone was finally free to enjoy the food that had been so torturously sitting in front of them. 

***

When it came time for dessert Abe brought out Henry’s Christmas pudding and the apple pie he had made from the apple he had saved yesterday. 

Everyone was practically full already, but he could persuade each guest to try a slice of both. And Henry had to admit that the apple pie really turned out very tasty. 

***

The adults enjoyed good food and wine and the company. They were happy to be able to talk about things other than work for once. They ate slowly, savouring every bite while the boys shoved down as much food as they could in as little a time as possible, washing it all down with a copious amount of soda which Abe had stacked in the fridge especially for the occasion. 

When they had finished they got bored instantly, beginning to kick each other under the table and moaning loudly about everything. 

“Behave!” Hanson growled while Karen looked generally embarrassed at her sons’ awful manners. 

“Go somewhere and play something,” Hanson caved eventually after enduring 10 more minutes of his kids’ antics. “But you better not break anything or else there won’t be any presents for you!” He told them sternly. He couldn’t be sure whether they even still heard him as they jumped up from their seats and raced back downstairs once more in record speed. Hanson could only shake his head, sighing deeply. 

***

“… while people in Poland will have an extra place setting for Christmas dinner as to make any surprise visitor feel welcome. And in Rio de Janeiro people celebrate the beginning of the holiday season in the Maracana football stadium where St. Nicholas arrives via helicopter.” Henry was regaling everyone in true Henry-fashion with Christmas trivia across the world. 

“In the Netherlands Santa Claus or Sinterklaas arrives by steamboat from Spain, where he is supposed to live during the year, on the first Saturday after November 11th. He arrives at another harbour every year and the children will receive most of their presents already on the evening of December 5th, the day before St Nicholas Day, or in the night. Sinterklaas then leaves again on December 6th via the harbour of Rotterdam, the largest harbour in Europe. In India though you may receive a lemon as a symbol of good luck if…” Henry was just gaining momentum when the Hanson boys came upstairs again more noisily than only two kids should be able to. 

“Here, look what we found!” They screamed, skidding to a stop next to their parents’ chairs. 

Hanson and his wife looked positively terrified. “Do we even want to know?” Karen muttered. 

“What did you find?” 

“This!” One of them exclaimed and the other shoved a big, yet delicate-looking glass carriage complete with two horses in their parents’ faces. Abe’s eyes grew wide as saucers and Karen scrambled to take the carriage from her son’s hands, putting it safely on the table.

“Let’s put this here to better look at it,” she said and Hanson let out the breath he’d been holding. “I guess it’s time we went home.”

“Yeah I think that’d be best before anything does get broken after all,” Hanson agreed while he and his wife stood. “Sorry to cut the evening short, Doc. See you at work next week and thanks for dinner.” 

“Thank you Dr. Morgan for having us all. And sorry for the ruckus that our children created here.”

“It’s fine. Don’t worry.” Henry tried to assure her, he had raised a son himself after all – not as rambunctious most of the time, but he’d had his moments. He got up as well. 

“Anyway, enjoy the rest of the evening,” Karen said to everyone.

They were met with a jumble of farewell as they herded their whining children down the stairs with Henry following behind to show them out. 

***

Another hour and another bottle of wine later the Lieutenant announced she’d better head home now before getting too drunk to drive, but Jo had a sneaking suspicion that she didn’t want to hear any more of Lucas’ film-making adventures and superhero stories she had been exposed to. And Lucas, not wanting to stay behind alone, decided he’d best leave as well. Additionally, it was getting late and he’d prefer to take the subway home before the passengers there got creepier than they already were normally. 

Leftovers were split and goodbyes exchanged, and soon Henry, Abe, and Jo were alone once more. 

“Phew,” Jo exhaled, “that was one hell of an eventful evening!” 

“Mhm,” Abe agreed. “I’m about ready to go to bed. Can’t say that I didn’t enjoy your colleagues being here, but I’m sure feeling my 70+ years now.” 

“Why don’t you go ahead then.” 

“But, dad…”

“Don’t worry we’ll do the necessary cleaning and the rest can wait until tomorrow,” Jo interjected. “Not saying that you are required to do any cleaning then either by the way.”

“I fully agree Abraham. You really did enough today! We’ll take care of everything else.” 

“Well, then I suppose it’s bedtime for me now. Good night you two!” 

***

Henry and Jo had decided to only do the minimum amount of cleaning which only meant putting the leftovers in the fridge and the dishes in the sink to soak them. 

After that was done with they retired to the couch with a glass of wine each enjoying the quiet part of the evening. 

“You know, it was a nice evening, but I like the quiet now too,” Jo admitted, snuggling into Henry’s side. “Abe wasn’t as wild when he was little, was he?” 

“Not usually, no. He certainly had his moments though.” Henry shook his head at these memories. 

“You have to tell me about that some time.” 

“I will. Just not right now, alright?”

“Ok. I’d prefer the calm now anyway.” Henry could only nod in agreement. And so they enjoyed the tranquil atmosphere for a bit before heading to bed too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Christmas trivia Henry talks about in this chapter is true as well. 
> 
> And before being interrupted by the Hanson boys Henry wanted to say that in India you might get a lemon as a symbol of good luck if you are the head of the family.


End file.
